Page 43 of Atlas
“Got enough money for some fancy wedding, but not to help us out?” Amelia sneers as she glares Ren up and down. “Or is all your money going to feed this one?”
“Hey!” I shout, startling the three of them. Ren places her soft hand on my forearm and gives me a squeeze.
“It’s okay,” she reassures me.
“Atty,” Mom’s voice is wavy as she starts to produce tears. “Son, I need just a few dollars, Millie and I, we need some food.”
I’m about to say no, feeling like maybe I could talk them into a rehab with Ren by my side, but before I can speak, my sweet girl steps forward. “Oh, if you guys are hungry, my friend works at this awesome bakery across the street. They have great lunch items, I would love to take you both.”
Mom and Amelia both look at Ren like she’s speaking another language, and it guts me that she’s trying to be polite, thinking that these people must matter to me. She knows they are addicts, yet she is trying to get them food. As if that is really what they are after.
“Uhh no,” Amelia scoffs and looks at me. “Why would we want to go to lunch?”
“Because you said you were hungry and Ren is trying to be a kind person.” I state through gritted teeth. “Much kinder than you deserve.”
“Atlas.” Ren hisses and gives them a soft smile. “I understand that you may be wary of me, what with the marriage being sprung up on you–”
“Princess,” I give Ren a squeeze on the hip and kiss her temple before reaching in my pocket. Mentally, I scold myself, I forgot to go to the bank this morning to get any cash out as I spent all but twenty bucks at the farm with Ren. I hand my mom the twenty and I may as well spat in her palm by the way she is looking at it.
“W-what are we supposed to do with this?” She growls loudly as she crumples the money. “So that’s it, huh? I give you life and all I’m worth is a twenty? How typical, just like your father and brother. You just leave, get married and want nothing to do with us. Be careful girl, he will do the same to you.”
“Mom,” I snap, feeling the guilt, anger and anxiety mixing together. “Knock it off. All I have is twenty on me. If you wait until after work I can–”
“We need it now!” She shouts, this time getting the attention of the guys in the back. “We are sick NOW!”
“Here.” I look to see Ren’s outstretched hand and before I can stop it, Amelia snatches the folded up money and pockets it before pulling mom with her towards the door.
“You’re a selfish man, Atlas Hart.” Mom breathes as she stands in the doorway. “Forcing your wife to take care of your family because you can’t be bothered.”
The door shuts and I feel everything intensify. The lights, sounds, smells. I’m too hot and I can’t breathe.
“At,” I hear Fox’s voice, but I ignore it. I need to get out of here. I head into the back and grab my backpack.
“Atlas wait,” Ren grabs my hand, but her touch is like a zap of electricity and I pull away. I see the flash of hurt on her face and shake my head. I can’t be here. I can’t let her see me like this. I give her what I hope she takes as an apologetic look before bolting out the back door and to my motorcycle that I’ve been leaving here since moving in with Ren. Firing her up, I sigh as the loud engine drowns out the rest of the noise around me and I take off down the street to put some distance between myself and the humiliation I just encountered.
Chapter 17
Lauren
Ilisten to Atlas’ motorcycle race off; the engine getting fainter every second until I can no longer hear him. He left, and I don’t know where he went. I try to hold the hurt and rejection back as I stare at his station. I was trying to help, I thought that if I gave them the money, they would be happy and leave, then he and I could have a discussion about them. Maybe try to find them help. I don’t know much about addiction, but one of my former classmates in law school runs a sober living non-profit, and I was thinking maybe I would contact her.
But he ran. He pulled away from me and ran. I faintly hear the door chime and Ash talking to a client. Not wanting to disrupt the guys and their appointments, I begin to head to the back door to leave. Only to have Janie grip my wrist and yank me into a new room of the shop. I look around the area, it’s not finished yet as there is no equipment or furniture, but the room is sectioned off, two rooms with no doors and then an open area with a sink and several unopened boxes. The walls are done white and I can tell the guys are taking turns coming back here and painting different images all over. It’s an eclectic look. All of their strikingly different styles mix together and at the center is a mural of the goddess Hel, a drawing that Janie did sometimeago after Fox turned her on to digital artwork to allow her to continue her passion for drawing despite her tremors.
“Wow,” I breathe, looking around. “Your new piercers are going to be so excited to work here.” Janie snorts and rolls her eyes.
“Yeah, if I can find some who aren’t douchebags. I had one guy tell me that he would love to work here, as long as I remember my place.” She deadpans as she motions for me to follow her into one of the rooms. She sits on one of the stools and motions for me to do the same.
“I would rather not.” I whine, knowing where this is going.
“I didn’t ask.” She states as she arches a brow. Sighing, I grab the stool and sit down. Janie has the“I will sit on you”look and after the beating I got at pole class as well as last night's events, I’m too tired to try and fight her.
“Good girl.” Janie states and we both stare at each other… eyes wide before busting out in laughter. “Good to know we both share a similar kink. But seriously, we need to talk because my bestie is not about to leave the shop and go have a car cry alone.”
“Janie…” I whine again before sighing in defeat. “Okay, so he and I had sex last night.”
“I knew that extra happy Atlas was not a facade! Damn, so Derek was right,” I blink at her comment but shake it off.
“Anyway, it was…” I bite my lip as I remember last night. “Uhmm, moving on. Last night after… that… he and I had kind of a deep conversation about his mom and sister. And I don’t know, I guess I thought we made it over an obstacle and then that just happened and he shut down and ran off. So maybe I read too much into everything last night.”
